Disclaimer: I do not own the original Naruto characters used in this fiction, just the couples' kids.

Ages:

Kiku, Raiden, Cho, Osamu, Katai, Manako, Rei, Takara, Tomoko—all 16; chuunin

Daisuke, Misaki, Kitsune, Shikarou, Ryuu, Yua—all 13; genin

Parenting 101

Story 21: Tension

A few conversations raises tension in the atmosphere.

"What about it?" Sakura asked. Her forehead creased as she frowned in confusion.

Kiku bit her tongue, looking away. She didn't know what she was getting herself into. She and Cho had debated telling of their little secrets but they decided that letting anyone else outside the two of them, let alone their parents, know would only make things worse. So she even surprised herself a little when she blurted it out. Maybe she was, subconsciously somehow, really desperate to know what she would think. She had never once hid anything from her parents, or lied to them, and the whole thing made her feel guilty.

"Um, never mind," she said, hoping Sakura would forget about it.

"Is something wrong, Kiku?"

"No… No, just forget about it. I'm just thinking out loud, is all," she reassured, mentally crossing her fingers that it would work.

And it did. Or, at least Sakura knew better than to press on. So she nodded, smiled, and said, "Well, I've got to get back to the hospital so I'll catch you later, okay?" Kiku nodded, and watched her mother walk off until she was completely out of sight before making her own way back towards Cho and their students.

She could tell Sakura was now suspicious. But Sakura was either giving her space, or being sly and cunning (or a strange combination of the two) by letting it go.

When she reached Cho and their students, they were now just sitting underneath the tree, waiting until they were a bit more settled (since everyone knows a good shinobi only fights right after meals if the situation demands it) before going back to their training. Cho was talking with one of the girls, but looked up when Kiku got close enough and walked over to her. "What did your mom want?" she asked.

"Just to talk about her and Oto-san," Kiku said.

"Oh."

"And she knows."

"Oh," she said again, only this time her eyes widened. "Wait, wait, wait. She knows… about—"

"No," Kiku reassured. "But she knows something's going on—that I'm hiding something from her. And, knowing my mom, it won't take her too long to figure it out."

"So what're you going to do?"

Kiku shrugged. "I'm thinking. It would help if Tomoko was in on it. I'm not good at the sly stuff—not when it comes to my own parents."

"I know," Cho agreed. She waited before adding, "So what about tonight?"

"Tonight's still on," she answered. "At the very least, we're just going to have to be more careful about everything." Kiku let her gaze travel, automatically scanning the training grounds. Though it was just them and their group of Suna students, she had a strange feeling something or someone was out there.

As her eyes past one of the shrubs, she noticed something out of place amongst the greenery. It was bright red, instantly catching her attention, and something gold glistened next to it.

Cho followed her gaze, and her eyebrows rose slightly as she saw what was there.

"Interesting."

"Where's Kitsune?" Matsuri asked when she walked over to their agreed meeting spot and the blonde-haired princess was nowhere to be seen.

Shikarou shrugged. "Last time I saw her, she was with Yua," he answered.

She frowned. "Yua?"

"What's the matter?" Daisuke asked, a huge smirk forming on his face. "Jealous?"

Misaki rolled her eyes. "As if!" But, even as she said it, in the back of her mind, the thought of Kitsune and Yua becoming closer and closer sort of made her paranoid. Whenever Yua had visited Konoha in the past, which wasn't too often, the two were inseparable. At first, Misaki had worried, but she told herself it was just nothing and Kitsune would always be just her best friend.

But now, with Yua staying for two full weeks in a row, and the possibility of Kitsune staying in Suna the next exchange time, she wasn't so sure of that.

"Anyway, Yua or not, Kitsune promised she would meet us for lunch," Misaki muttered.

"Cut her some slack, Misaki, both Yua and Kitsune have other responsibilities," Daisuke reminded.

Ryuu nodded in agreement. "And you should lighten up on Yua, too. She's never done anything wrong."

"You're just saying that because you have a massive crush on her," Misaki shot back.

"As much as I'd like to tease Ryuu about his strange crush on my cousin, too," Shikarou interrupted, "I kind of have to agree. Lighten up on her."

"You never give her much of a chance," Daisuke pointed out, no hint of a joke or anything in his face. He studied her intently, and she shifted uncomfortably at the way the three of them looked at her. As outgoing as Misaki may be, this wasn't the kind of spotlight she enjoyed.

"I have," she said defensively.

"So you are just jealous?"

"I am NOT!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs. Ryuu, Daisuke, and Shikarou winced at her high-pitched shrieked, and some even turned to watch them. But Misaki didn't notice. She just stormed off, frustrated and irritated with flushed cheeks and a scowl on her face, muttering to herself. Their eyes were sort of wide with surprise at her sudden outburst as they watched her figure shrink and then completely disappear beyond the horizon.

"She is so jealous," Daisuke said after a few minutes of silence.

Shikarou sighed.

"Don't make this any worse."

Due to a couple of somewhat unanticipated problems, the morning meeting had dragged on until a little past lunch. But, because Yua and Kitsune have been dealing with things like this almost as professionally as their parents since they were kids, neither complained and they both continued to be insightful and optimistic. When the meeting was finally adjourned, Kitsune and Yua stood up, bowed respectfully to their company, and exchanged parting words with Naruto, Hinata, and Yua, promising to be on time for dinner later on.

When Kitsune and Yua were about to exit the Hokage Tower, they found Shikarou and Ryuu standing there waiting for them. They looked completely bored, to put it moderately, but they both perked up when they saw the two girls walk out into the sunlight.

"Man, you guys are late," Shikarou said in his usually dull tone. He had never been patient to begin with.

Yua shrugged. "Priority meetings," she said in a casual tone to match his. "What can you do?"

"Well, why don't we go get you some lunch?" Ryuu offered.

"Didn't you guys eat already? It's past one…" Yua pointed out.

"Yeah," Ryuu admitted, "but you guys haven't eaten since breakfast, right? You should eat lunch now."

"Speaking of lunch," Kitsune said, looking around. "Where's Mimi-chan?"

Ryuu and Shiakrou immediately looked at each other in a way that caused Kitsune and Yua to furrow their eyebrows in confusion. "Misaki is being Misaki," Shikarou finally said after a long pause. He tried his best at trying to sound as bored and uninterested as usual, though there was a certain edge to his tone. "She stormed off earlier when we first met for lunch, muttering to herself. You know she never tells us things like that."

Kitsune looked worried. "Is she alright?"

"Daisuke went looking for her after lunch," Ryuu reassured.

"Oh," Kitsune said. She blinked. "Oh, okay. Well, as long as she's alright."

Yua's eyes cut to Kitsune.

"Kitsune—"

"It's nothing, Yua…"

"This has something to do with that thing we talked about earlier, huh?"

Kitsune shrugged. "Depends on what—oh, that thing. Oh, no, it was the other thing."

"'Other thing'?"

"The one conversation from before that conversation…"

"Oh. Yeah. Don't worry about it, it should be fine."

Kitsune shrugged again, still not convinced. Yua sighed. All the while, Ryuu and Shikarou stared at them, their faces blank with incomprehension. Kitsune and Yua giggled at them before grabbing their arms and tugging them forward.

"Come on, let's go eat," Yua laughed.

"Yua, they're so—"

"I know!" Yua exclaimed, and both girls laughed with the boys in tow, Kitsune tugging Shikarou and Yua tugging Ryuu.

After Kitsune and Yua had begun another conversation, they finally spoke.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Shikarou asked.

Ryuu sighed. "Yup."

"Girls talk too much."

A/N

Quote from Chapter 20: "The past can hurt. You can either run from it or learn from it."—from The Lion King

This chapter was sort of a quick break from the seriousness of the other chapters. I might throw more light-hearted chapters in like this more often when I feel we should take just a short break from the more dramatic moments—this IS a Disney-inspired series, after all! :D

And by the way: the previews I showed you at the bottom of Chapter 20 will all happen but not back-to-back and not in that same order.

I will also be showcasing more couple moments (children AND parental couples) and more of the kids' unmentioned childhoods.

Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and readers!

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Criticism? Flames? Don't hesitate to make your opinions known in a review or PM, whatever suits you.

Ciao! Au Reveoir! Zai Jian! Hasta Lavista! Ja Ne! Goodbye (till next time, at least!)